Opening the Duke of Sussex’s appeal this morning, with her royal client sat just behind her, Ms Fatima said he had been ‘singled out’ for ‘inferior treatment’ when he was stripped of the high level of protection he was previously given by the Metropolitan Police.

‘When Ravec made its February 2020 decision about the appellant’s protective security, it did not apply its own terms of reference to that decision-making process’, she said, adding that Ravec came up with a ‘different and so-called ‘bespoke process’.

‘The appellant [Prince Harry] does not accept that ‘bespoke’ means ‘better’. In fact, in his submission, it means that he has been singled out for different, unjustified and inferior treatment’.

Prince Harry was sat in court following his lead counsel’s case, sipping from a plastic bottle of still mineral water as she spoke.

In written submissions submitted to the Court of Appeal today, Harry’s KC, viewed as a legal trailblazer because in 2016 she became Britain’s first hijab-wearing barrister, said: ‘This appeal concerns the most fundamental right: to safety and security of person’.

She continued: ‘On January 8 2020, (the Duke of Sussex) and his wife felt forced to step back from the role of full-time official working members of the royal family as they considered they were not being protected by the institution, but they wished to continue their duties in support of the late Queen as privately funded members of the royal family’.

Ms Fatima later said that Harry was ‘not in a position to make any informed representations to Ravec’.

He added: ‘(His) security does not appear to have been discussed at any formal Ravec meeting and there are no official notes or detailed minutes recording the approach to be taken to (his) security and the rationale for it.’

According to Ms Fatima KC, when Ravec stripped the prince of his top-level security in February 2020, shortly after he and wife Meghan had announced they were stepping back from royal duties and relocating to North America, it did not follow his own rules.

And the judge who previously ruled Ravec had acted correctly, was mistaken.

Ms Fatima said according to its own guidelines, Ravec should have commissioned an assessment of Prince Harry’s particular security needs from another specialist body, the Risk Management Board. It has failed to do so, instead reaching its decision by ‘bespoke’ means.

Ms Fatima said: ‘The appellant [the Duke of Sussex] does not accept that bespoke means better – in fact, in his position, it means he has been singled out for different, inferior treatment.’

The hearing before Sir Geoffrey Vos, Lord Justice Bean, and Lord Justice Edis is due to conclude on Wednesday with a decision expected in writing at a later date.

It came as MailOnline reveal that the King is not thought to have met with his youngest son when he flew into London from California at the weekend ahead of his High Court showdown today.

The Duke of Sussex landed from Los Angeles on Sunday but his father spent the weekend at Highgrove, his private Gloucestershire home, resting ahead of this week’s busy State Visit to Italy.

His Majesty then flew directly to Rome from RAF Brize Norton with Queen Camilla on Monday afternoon. It came after the Mail’s Richard Eden revealed Harry’s skipped the wedding of one of his so-called ‘band of brothers’ – despite being invited and in the UK.

Today, just as Harry walked purposefully into the Royal Courts of Justice for the 10am hearing, Charles and Camilla were afforded a ceremonial welcome including a flypast by Italian President Sergio Mattarella and his daughter, Laura Mattarella, at the Quirinale Palace on Tuesday.

The Duke of Sussex has decided to travel 5,000 miles to be at the High Court in London to support his own appeal against a ruling on the level of security he, Meghan Markle, Archie and Lilibet are afforded while in the country of his birth.

Wearing a suit, white shirt and tie, Harry arrived looking stern, clutching his mobile phone tightly. There was a brief smile and wave as he entered the historic building.

Harry’s long-term personal bodyguard Dave Langdown, 57, a former Metropolitan Police officer, entered the courtroom 20 minutes before the case was due to start. He scanned the room to ensure it was safe for the Prince’s evidently imminent arrival.

At 10.24am Prince Harry himself walked into court, clad in a charcoal grey suit. Offering a forced smile grimace to the media, he took a seat in the third row back from the judge, two rows behind his two King’s Counsel barristers, Shaheed Fatima and Jason Pobjoy.

Mr Langdown took a seat in the public gallery behind his boss.

Harry believes he is entitled to armed bodyguards, paid for by the British taxpayer, and is fighting a 2020 decision to reduce the level of security after he and Meghan Markle stepped back from life as working royals and emigrated to the United States.

He has expressed safety concerns about returning to the UK with his wife and children.

It came after landed in the UK just before King Charles III jetted off to Italy for a historic four-day state visit.

The King and his son are also believed to have differing views over Harry’s decision to pursue his legal fight with the Home Office, which has cost the British taxpayer £500,000 so far.

Harry has been taking legal action in the UK over a decision made by the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (Ravec) in February 2020 over the level of protection he should receive when in the country.

The High Court previously heard that his ‘status’ had changed as a result of no longer being a ‘full-time working member of the Royal Family‘.

But Harry has argued his children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet cannot ‘feel at home’ or ‘safe’ in the UK unless his police protection is fully restored.

His legal fight comes as the Charity Commission announced it had launched an investigation into Sentebale, the charity he founded, amid a bitter boardroom rift between Harry and chairwoman Dr Sophie Chandauka.

She has accused Prince Harry of ‘harassment and bullying’ – a claim that is denied.

For his part Harry, who stood down as patron of the charity last week alongside co-founder Prince Seeiso in support of a group of trustees who have also quit, has accused Ms Chanduaka of telling ‘blatant lies’.

He said they ‘fully expected [the investigation] will unveil the truth that collectively forced us to resign’.

Prince Harry added: ‘We remain hopeful this will allow for the charity to be put in the right hands immediately, for the sake of the communities we serve.’

His arrival in the UK capital comes as the King and Queen jetted into Rome, before visiting the city of Ravenna, as they use the ‘soft power’ diplomacy of the monarchy to strengthen Britain’s relationship with its ally.

A separate state visit to the Holy See, the government of the Roman Catholic Church, in the Vatican, has been cancelled, as Pope Francis is recuperating after leaving hospital following treatment for double pneumonia.

With a number of Vatican events removed from the itinerary in Rome, the remaining engagements in the Italian capital have been spread over two days, and extra elements added to some engagements.

At the weekend the Pope made a surprise appearance in St Peter’s Square, in the Vatican.

He appeared with an oxygen tube under his nose and was using a wheelchair.

Charles will become the first British monarch to address both houses of Italy’s parliament – the chamber of deputies and the senate of the republic.

The King will also hold audiences with President Sergio Mattarella and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and he and his wife will attend a black-tie state banquet at the Palazzo Quirinale, hosted by the president on the evening of their 20th wedding anniversary.

The UK and Italy’s defence co-operation will be marked by a joint flypast over Rome by the Italian air force’s aerobatic team, Frecce Tricolori, and the RAF’s Red Arrows.

In Ravenna, near Bologna, Charles and Camilla will mark the 80th anniversary of the province’s liberation from Nazi occupation by allied forces, on April 10 1945, during a town hall reception.

They will celebrate literary culture by visiting Dante’s tomb and the Queen will make a solo trip to the Byron museum.

Charles returned to official public duties after cancelling a string of engagements last month, when he experienced temporary side effects from cancer treatment on March 27.

Buckingham Palace announced that the King had ‘required a short period of observation in hospital’ earlier that day.

Planned engagements in Birmingham the following day, March 28, were cancelled to prioritise his recovery as a precautionary measure.

A source described it as a ‘most minor bump in a road that is very much heading in the right direction’.

Prince Harry Arrives at U.K. Court for Critical Security Appeal as Lawyer Claims He Was ‘Singled Out’ for ‘Inferior Treatment’

The London hearing — appealing a High Court ruling regarding his security arrangements in the U.K. — strikes at the core of Prince Harry’s fractured relationship with his father, King Charles

On Tuesday, April 8, the Duke of Sussex, 40, was seen arriving at the Royals Courts of Justice in central London for a two-day hearing as he appeals a High Court ruling regarding his security arrangements in the U.K. — a long-running legal battle that has contributed to ongoing tensions with his father, King Charles.

The King is currently in Rome with Queen Camilla on an official visit, part of broader efforts to strengthen the U.K.’s relationship with key European allies in the post-Brexit era. Harry reportedly arrived in London on Sunday, but it remains unclear whether he saw his father before he departed for Rome the following day. A spokesperson for the Duke of Sussex declined to comment when reached by PEOPLE, and Buckingham Palace also offered no comment.

Prince Harry arrived at the Court of Appeal about an hour ahead of the hearing, appearing calm and composed. He offered a brief smile and a small wave to onlookers gathered outside the court building. Just before 10:30 a.m. local time, he entered the courtroom alongside his lawyer Jenny Afia. Inside, Harry took his seat with a notepad and bottle of water in front of him, occasionally leaning in to confer with Afia during the high-profile hearing before three senior judges.

The hearing is also set to take place on April 9. The Duke of Sussex traveled from his home in Montecito for the hearing. He and his wife, Meghan Markle, moved to the Duchess’ home state of California in 2020 after stepping back from royal duties, and now raise their children, Prince Archie, 5 and Princess Lilibet, 3. in the U.S.

Harry’s lawyer, Shadeed Fatima KC, argued that the U.K. government’s security committee, RAVEC, failed to properly assess threats to the Duke and his family. Key to Harry’s appeal is the claim that RAVEC bypassed the Risk Management Board (RMB)—a specialist body meant to provide expert threat analysis — when deciding on his protection status.

Fatima said RAVEC “diverted” from its usual process and imposed a “bespoke” arrangement on Harry not used for any other individual. Harry maintains this left him “singled out for different, unjustified and inferior treatment” and excluded him from the same protections offered to others in the so-called “Other VIP Category.”

She emphasized that Harry is not seeking the same level of protection he had as a working royal, but rather a fair, consistent process. His legal team argued that the Home Office breached its own policies by failing to carry out the required RMB review, and did not properly document or explain its decisions.

In response, the government has urged the court to dismiss the appeal in summary. In its written submissions, the Home Office argued that RAVEC was entitled to tailor a different approach for Harry based on his specific situation, and that this constituted a valid reason to depart from the usual process outlined in RAVEC’s Terms of Reference. The bespoke process, it says, was better suited to Harry’s circumstances and backed by existing documentation. The government also noted that the original judge applied a review standard that was “overly generous” to Harry but still upheld the decision as lawful.

In court, Prince Harry’s lawyer Fatima emphasized the significance of not granting him an RMB (Royal and VIP Executive Committee) review, saying, “There’s nothing better than an RMB, and that’s why it is done for everyone else.” She also hinted at what might be addressed in Wednesday’s closed session, noting it would focus on Harry’s “comparison with others.”

Home Office lawyer Sir James Eadie KC countered that Harry’s protection wasn’t removed entirely, but adjusted due to his changed status. He said future security would be provided under “appropriate circumstances,” calling the decision a matter of judgment with “no right or wrong answers.”

At one point, Harry appeared to shake his head and turned to his lawyer Jenny Afia, seemingly reacting to the arguments being made.

Eadie insisted the process was fair and that Harry’s “unique circumstances” justified a “bespoke” approach that better served his needs.

In opening remarks, Master of the Rolls Sir Geoffrey Vos confirmed parts of the hearing would be held in private, but stressed the importance of maintaining transparency in court proceedings.

According to a Court of Appeal order issued on April 1 and seen by PEOPLE, most of the appeal will be heard in public, though portions will be held in private to protect “confidential evidence.”

Harry lodged a legal appeal against the Home Office over his security detail in the U.K., arguing that he and his family should have automatic protection whenever they visit.

The saga began in February 2020, when the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (RAVEC) stripped Harry’s automatic right to U.K. police security shortly after he and Meghan stepped back from royal duties. In a legal challenge last year, High Court judge Peter Lane upheld the government and RAVEC’s decision to downgrade the Duke of Sussex’s security.

“The court has found that there has not been any unlawfulness in reaching the decision of 28 February 2020,” Lane ruled in documents seen by PEOPLE when the news broke in February 2024. “The decision was not irrational. The decision was not marred by procedural unfairness.”

“The court has also found that there has been no unlawfulness on the part of RAVEC in respect of its arrangements for certain of the claimant’s visits to Great Britain,” it continued.

In December 2023, Prince Harry’s lawyers argued against the February 2020 decision to strip the prince’s automatic right to U.K. police security. Although the Duke of Sussex had offered to cover the costs of security, the bid was rejected. His legal team has previously said that he “does not feel safe” bringing his children to the U.K. following the loss of taxpayer-funded police protection.

King Charles’ younger son has been battling this issue in court for five years and is now appealing an initial decision lost in April 2024. According to sources close to Harry, the loss of taxpayer-funded security has remained a major point of contention — one that has deepened tensions between him and his father, 76.

Constitutionally, the sovereign has no governmental power in the U.K. or influence on RAVEC, but the Duke of Sussex believes that his father could intervene to ensure such protection is extended. (Buckingham Palace will not comment on security provisions, but a palace source previously told PEOPLE the notion that Harry’s security is in Charles’s hands is “wholly incorrect.”)

“Harry is frightened and feels the only person who can do anything about it is his father,” a royal insider previously told PEOPLE.

Another source close to the situation added, “Harry is determined to protect his own family at all costs.”

Harry previously appeared in court in London during his case against Mirror Group Newspapers over alleged unlawful information gathering.